Joe Rogan says he would never have approved MMA fights on the White House lawn if he ran the UFC, dumping on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday plans.
On his hugely popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on Friday, Rogan’s guest, author and bowhunter Cameron Hanes, brought up the spectacle, saying he felt uncomfortable with the government being in the business of entertainment.
“It’s the bread and circus thing... it’s not for the White House to be putting on sporting events. We hire the government to run our country, not entertain us,” Hanes said.
Rogan countered that his big beef with the White House fight, to be staged outside under the giant new structure, dubbed “The Claw,” is that it’s at the mercy of the elements.
“I don’t like it because I think they should be fighting indoors, always. I think world championship fights should be fought in a controlled environment,” he said.
Rogan, who is expected to be at the White House match on Sunday, said he would never have given the go-ahead if he were running the UFC.
“I would have never wanted to do it, I would have said we can’t do it, they have to be in a controlled environment,” Rogan reasoned. “We can’t have somebody win or lose because they’re outside and it’s muggy.”
“That doesn’t make any sense to me,” he continued. “It’s gonna affect the grappling. It’s going to be like hot oil wrestling. Everyone’s gonna be sweaty as f---.”
Rogan and Hanes then spent some time joking about getting struck by lightning, as storms have been forecast for Sunday in D.C..
“The sweat is going to be a big issue, the outside, the bugs,” Rogan listed.
“The thunderstorms,” Hanes added.
“I think if they canceled it and moved it indoors, that would be better,” Rogan declared.
He clarified that he wasn’t “negative” about the event, “but I’m not positive either.”
He said the line up was “incredible”, and “it’s gonna be nuts... if it happens.”
The weather forecast for Sunday has created some uncertainty around the president’s pet birthday plan, as storms, wind, humidity and the possibility of bugs invading the Claw threaten the event.
Rogan urged the White House and UFC to rethink and bring the event indoors.
“My concern is for the athletes,” he said. “A fighter’s career is very short, a loss is devastating, and to not have perfect conditions to fight in, I think is crazy.”
